DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/00564/B Applicant: Miss Michelle Garrod Proposal: Alterations and erection of an extension to create additional living accommodation Site Address: Thie Grennaugh Claughbane Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 2HL Enforcement/Planning Assistant: Ms Charlotte Gatt Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.07.2021 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. It is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Pla2016 and therefore recommend the application be approved.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision hereby approved relates to drawings numbered 20 1485 01, 20 1485 02, 20 1485 03 together with photographs all recorded as being electronically received by The Department on 28.05.21

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site represents the existing residential dwelling Thie Grennaugh, Claughbane Road, Ramsey, which is a two storey detached, located on the western side of Claughbane Road and is the last property situated on the private lane before the public footpath.

PROPOSAL

2.1 The application seeks approval for the demolition of the existing garage, front and rear porch, utility room and sun room and would see the erection of a ground floor bedroom, store room, and replacement sunroom. At first floor over the sunroom there is proposed to be a glass balustrade balcony.

2.2 The dwelling would be expanded from a 3 bed, 1 bathroom to a 4 bed with 4 en-suite bathrooms, and a downstairs WC. - 2.3 The external walls of the dwelling are to receive an external insulation system. The ground floor walls will be finished with smooth sand and cement render. First floor walls to be finished with horizontal cedar or larch. Erection of a new chimney stack to the north west elevation, which will be finished in natural stone. - 2.4 The flat roof over the replacement sunroom is to be finished in a grey 'polyroof' or similar fibreglass system. The main roof of the house will be hipped as existing and see the replacement of the existing grey slate roof with the installation of a zinc grey metal standing seam roof. - 2.5 The old grey PVC and green cast iron downpipes are to be replaced in a grey zinc to match the standing seam roof. - 2.6 Windows and doors are proposed to be replaced from the existing white uPVC frames and will see the installation of either black uPVC, or grey aluminium double glazed units.

PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The application site is within an area of predominately residential use under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Ramsey Local Plan) (No. 2) Order 1998, hereafter referred to as the Ramsey Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area.

3.2 The following policy is from the IOM Strategic Plan (2016) is considered relevant in the consideration of this application - General Policy 2 states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:…

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape;…

• (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;
• (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space;
• (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;…

• (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;
• (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding;
• (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and
• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

3.3 The IOM Strategic Plan also states:

• "8.12.1 Extensions to Dwellings in built-up areas or sites designated for residential use: As a general policy, in built-up areas not controlled by Conservation Area or Registered Building policies, there will be a general presumption in favour of extensions to an existing property where such extensions would not have an adverse impact on either adjacent property or the surrounding area in general."
• 3.4 Residential Design Guidance (July 2021) provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to an existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property.
• 3.5 RDG 5 sets out key considerations regarding architectural details. These include window details and external finishing. The general idea is that the extension should have a similar style with the main dwelling for a coherent appearance unless the clash between modern and traditional design can be handled with elegance.
• 3.6 RDG 7 sets out key considerations regarding the impact on neighbouring properties. These include the potential loss of light/overshadowing, overbearing impact upon outlook and overlooking resulting in a loss of privacy.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 There are no previous applications which are considered material in the assessment of this application. REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 The Ramsey Commissioners have no objection to the proposal. (23.06.2021)

5.2 DOI Highways services have - No highways interest. (21.06.2021) ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are:

• - character and appearance (GP2, b,c)
• - impact on neighbouring amenity (GP2, g)
• - highway safety (GP2 h,i)
• - reduction of energy consumption (GP2, n)

6.2 CHARACTER and APPEARANCE

• 6.2.1 Claughbane Road has a general mix of properties with no two along the row being the same style. Whilst the proposed alterations and extensions are of a much more modern style of property than what currently exists, they would not have an adverse visual impact upon the street scene or look out of place within its residential setting. The proposal would in fact be beneficial to the current appearance of the property.

• 6.2.3 It is considered that the overall level of the development contained within this proposal would not have any major impacts on the overall street scene given that there is no specific character to the properties in the area and the dwelling would also not be considered readily visible from the public highway.

- 6.3 NEIGHBOURING AMENITY

• 6.3.1 The dwelling is the last property on the street within a row of houses on an un-adopted highway. The extension, although in some parts 2 storey, extends further south west in terms of floor space towards a row of private garages and therefore would not result in a cramped or contrived layout within the curtilage, or create any feelings of overbearingness/overlooking.

• 6.3.2 The proposed balcony is also on the south west elevation and would not be perceived as to create any overlooking or loss of privacy as outlined in section 7 of the Residential Design Guide, again, given that the property is at the end of the row of houses and beyond the south west boundary is the just a row of private garages and then an area of woodland.

- 6.4 HIGHWAY SAFETY

6.4.1 The proposal does not create any issues to highway safety. Currently in place is a private gated driveway with an area for the parking of two vehicles off the road. The proposal would consist of the same area with parking spaces for two vehicles but introduces a turning area, which would be more beneficial to the site, and create a safer exit onto the private lane.

- 6.5 ENERGY CONSUMPTION

• 6.5.1 Although section 5 of the Residential Design Guidance advises that the general idea is that the extension should have a similar style with the main dwelling for a coherent appearance, the proposal would change the full character and appearance of the property as a whole to a more modern style, to make the dwelling as energy efficient as possible.

• 6.5.2 The proposed metal standing seam roof can increase thermal performance in the home by way of heating and cooling by holding the heat inside the property, and reflecting the heat from the sun away on hotter days
• 6.5.3 The walls to the property are to receive a full external insulation system as outlined earlier in the proposal section; this will create mass energy saving on heating the property and reduce heat loss by up to 35%.

CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall it is considered that the planning application would not harm the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties nor would the proposal have any significant impacts upon public or private amenities and therefore accords with the provisions of General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and it is therefore recommended that the application be approved. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 03.08.2021 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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